Netflix Lands Sesame Street After HBO Max

Good news for Sesame Street fans: the beloved journey isn't ending. The iconic children's series, which first premiered in 1969, is coming to Netflix and PBS after HBO and Max concluded their long-running agreement with the show at the end of 2024.

New episodes, along with the complete back catalog, will stream globally on Netflix. Meanwhile, PBS stations and PBS Kids will continue to air new episodes on their same-day broadcast schedule. Since Netflix is actively growing its gaming division—allowing subscribers to play directly in the app using their mobile device as a controller—the deal also includes rights to develop video games based on the series and its spinoff, Sesame Street Mecha Builders.

Sesame Street announced the new streaming arrangement via social media on May 19. “Through a unique public-private partnership with Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Sesame Street will keep helping kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder,” read a statement from Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the long-running program.

We are excited to announce that all new Sesame Street episodes are coming to @netflix worldwide along with library episodes, and new episodes will also release the same day on @PBS Stations and @PBSKIDS platforms in the US, preserving a 50+ year relationship.

The support of… pic.twitter.com/B76MxQzrpI

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) May 19, 2025

Season 56 brings a refreshed format, too. Each episode will now feature an 11-minute core story, a move inspired by popular character-driven children’s shows like Bluey. Fans can still enjoy returning favorites such as Elmo’s World and Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck.

Sesame Street debuted in November 1969 and joined the PBS network in the 1970s. The series quickly became a cultural institution. HBO and Max began collaborating with the show in 2015, securing a $35 million deal for exclusive new episodes.

That partnership concluded in late 2024 as the streamer shifted away from children's content, which reportedly failed to resonate with subscribers. However, existing Sesame Street episodes will remain available on HBO and Max through 2027—a modest extension of the initial ten-year agreement, though future production is now excluded.